By Monsurat Abisoye
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will review the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, before taking a decision on the registration status of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Justice Isah Dashen had on Friday set aside the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment that compelled INEC to register the NDC as a political party. The judge ruled that the earlier judgment affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo used by the NDC but was not joined in the original suit. Counsel to the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, said the ruling effectively reversed all actions taken by INEC, including the recognition of the NDC and the issuance of its certificate of registration, pending a fresh hearing of the substantive case.
Responding to enquiries, INEC Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, said the commission had not yet received the Certified True Copy of the judgment and would make an informed decision only after its legal department had reviewed the ruling.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alleged that the judgment forms part of a broader effort to weaken opposition parties and shrink Nigeria’s democratic space ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party warned that persistent legal disputes involving opposition groups could erode public confidence in democratic institutions and foster a one-party state. It urged the judiciary to remain independent and called on opposition parties, civil society organisations, organised labour, the media and Nigerians to defend constitutional rights to political participation and freedom of association.
Similarly, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) condemned the ruling as judicial overreach and an attack on democracy and the rule of law. Its Acting National Chairman, Peter Ameh, questioned the legal basis of the application, arguing that an unregistered association could not validly institute such proceedings. He maintained that the court had become functus officio after its December 2025 judgment and lacked the authority to revisit the matter six months later. Ameh further noted that the NDC had already conducted party primaries and produced candidates nationwide based on the earlier judgment, describing the latest ruling as a troubling sign of deeper institutional challenges within the judiciary.